Bolivia Hard Justice, Rising Concern

Trial of a dictator stalls

When the national legislature handed down criminal charges in February against former Dictator Luis Garcia Meza, citing acts of sedition, armed revolt and assassination, many hoped that the anticipated supreme court trial would clean up the image of a nation tarnished by a flagrant cocaine trade, official corruption and worse. Last week, after three brief sessions, the trial ground to a halt. As the civilian government of President Victor Paz Estenssoro stood by, the twelve-member supreme court proved unable to come up with a quorum of judges to reconvene the case. Said a well-placed diplomatic observer: "People are afraid. There's no...